Accidentally In Love
by SofiaCalista
Summary: They had never given each other a second thought, until an accident and nosy reporters forced them together. It's bad enough that a friend was fighting for her life in the games, now, there's talk of urges and strawberries. And the bruises were starting to become a frequent thing, so were the stolen glances. If they weren't careful, they'll find themselves falling all over again.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

* * *

Gale was tired.

But he's more annoyed, at the moment.

Who knew pretending to not notice the freaks could be so…so…well, tiring?!

The Capitol reporters had been hounding him since most people directed them to him when asked about Katniss Everdeen. 'Hostile' didn't seem to have an effect on them. No matter how hard he tried to discourage their approach, these weirdly accented creatures were unfazed. They want the juicy details of his and Katniss' relationship at whatever cost.

Or maybe they were just that insensitive. Must be, they lived in Capitol.

They were down to eight (or seven, he forgot) kids when the reporters were deployed to the remaining tributes' districts to conduct interviews. He had to clench his fist, hard, to keep himself from socking the woman who interviewed Prim the first time.

_"Your sister's so brave, aren't you glad she found love, even in the games? Do you think they'll be able to kill each other?Isn't it romantic? If you didn't get pick then, Peeta would never have told Katniss his love! Such tragedy!" _

_"How do you think she would kill Cato or Clove? Or Thresh? If they didn't finish her off, first! Ha! Ha! Ha!"_

Prim just smiled throughout the interview. And when they finished with her and her mother, they advanced to him. The people parted to make way for them and he greeted the freaks with a glare.

_" So you're Gale Hawthorne? You're very good looking and tall and built!" she fan herself and wink at him, "Are you sure you're just Katniss' friend?"_

_He looked at the obviously-trying-hard-to-look-young lady and said, "Yes."_

He was tempted to say that his feelings for Katniss were more than friendly. He wanted to announce it, just like Peeta did and he's sure it would've made big news in the Capitol. But he didn't.

Knowing how it would affect Katniss' chances in the Games, he simply told them they were cousins. With their similar colouring (gray eyes, dark hair), they could be. Only, they didn't buy it entirely. They still kept turning up on their doorstep, wanting to have an interview with her 'cousins'. His one to two-word answers must have fascinated them. He wondered if they even have a brain in their skull or maybe they had it injected with neon paint. He wouldn't be surprised if they did.

How good it must be, to be able to afford some silliness in life?

What a bunch of privileged turd!

Give them blood and in return they'll give you food. Or something that look a lot like food.

He rarely hunted anymore, making his promise to Katniss harder to keep. He can't just rely on tesserae! How will he feed two families without going to the woods? His only source of income and majority of their food, had been taken away with the freaks' arrival!

_Capitol, Keeping the Districts Hungry for 74 Years! And Counting!_

Not if I can help it, he thought.

They were here for three days already. Even at school, they didn't relent. They must think they're pretty clever, hiding from him and following him.

Yes, they stayed away from his actual classes but his hunter instict told him they weren't that far from him. Every corner he glanced, he saw their attempt at hiding, which laughable under normal circumstances. There were three and their bright clothes stood out from the sea of drabness, one of them even attempted to hide behind a boy. He's very skinny in gray shirt and she's porky, wearing a yellow coat. It's infuriating!

They really wanted a reaction from him, huh?

There's some rule change, which he didn't buy, about having two winners if they were from the same district. So now, Katniss and Peeta were reunited, holed up in some pretty cozy cave. Mellark's must in heaven. Maybe not, he's in bad shape, Gale doubts he'll survive. She made herself vulnerable by teaming with him. He knew she knows that but knowing that she knew made him uncomfortable. The very thing that would made the reporters' day, the uncomfortable cousin. Or whatever.

After his classes, he made his way home. With the reporters on his tail.

"Won't they give it a rest, already?" he muttered as he looked away from the person behind a tree, hiding, with his bright orange hat showing, "There wasn't even a story here!"

After a few blocks into the Seam, he decided to lose them. It easier because there were more houses and alleys to lost them into. Without another thought, he ran.

* * *

**AN: This is going to be an alternating POV between Madge and Gale. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

Madge tried not to hate those Capitol people temporarily residing at their house.

It's not their fault they look weird. Or loud. Or so desensitized, that they genuinely enjoy the slaughter of children.

No, they were brought up in a place that made them think its okay to do those things.

So, she shouldn't hate them because they were from the Capitol. They didn't put those children in the arena, their government did.

With that said, she understood why most people hated them.

They were a representation of everything they despised about the Capitol.

_We have less, they have more, they're here and an easy target, _she thought and she knew a thing or two about being treated that way.

But that didn't stop her from finding them annoying. And scary. Particularly the three most garish and freakiest of the bunch: Blue, Gold and Gem.

Those weren't actually their names, it's just what she called them. Blue because he's literally blue, Gold wore only gold (including on her skin, lips and eyes), Gem would've look normal if it weren't for the gemstones embedded on her face. She also had cat eyes that glow.

They were more aggressive and they were very interested in Gale Hawthorne. It seemed (based on what she overheard) they didn't believe that the handsome (their words, not hers) cousin was a cousin. He's too evasive, apparently, and their reporter's radar sensed a sensational story(their words again).

Madge was confused as to why the need to expose him. To add more drama to the latest Hunger Games? As if kids killing kids weren't drama enough.

She saw them at school, trying to go incognito. Not an easy feat when, aside from their unusual skin embellishments, they're all wearing the least inconspicuous clothes (An orange top hat, a gold coat, and a silver turban).

At least they left her alone and with them in school, they left her mother alone. She had been having those headaches again and was abed all day. Her father told her she shouldn't bother her mother and with nothing to do at home, she decided to take a stroll.

She watched the reporters go back to their house and she went the other way.

The other reporters were at school, too, interviewing Peeta's friends. If they found her interesting they would've been interviewing her too. But she didn't have any good stories to share about Katniss. They weren't that kind of friends. Gem actually told her she was boring.

_"Maybe if you lived in the Capitol you won't be boring. Or even look boring. I look at you and I felt a yawn coming," she said in her Capitol accent._

She had to restrain herself from saying 'I look at you and I wanted to scream and run the other direction.' Gem was that freaky. But she was right. She was boring. Nothing really interesting happened to her, if you didn't count being friends with a popular tribute, and somehow they (and she) didn't count that. So really, she was boring.

She would quietly sit at the school cafeteria with Katniss and just observe her classmates. They ignored her most of the time. She played piano. Her life revolves around school and home. The only parties she had attended were for old people and again she was ignored most of the time.

Just like how most people she passed by ignored her. But maybe that's because she rarely make eye contact with people.

She stopped walking and looked around.

She was alone.

There weren't houses anymore, just tree lines on one side of the dirt road and she thought it was sort of a cliff because she could only see the top of the trees, grasses, and a hill not far from where she was. She had never been to this place before.

Madge walked to the edge and saw that it wasn't deep, maybe a three to five foot-drop then a short gentle slope with the tree line at the base. It was a pretty view. There were flowers, too. Or were they weeds?

There were small white flowers growing on the side of the cliff. It reminded her of her mother, beautiful, strong but very vulnerable.

"Maybe she'll like them," she said to herself and with a smile, she crouched down and started reaching for them. It was farther than what she estimated. She stood up, rethinking her strategy. Maybe if she lay flat on her stomach near the edge she could reach the flowers? She looked down at her dress, "It's going to be worth it."

"What are you going to do?" a voice suddenly said.

She didn't even get to see the owner of the voice. In her shock, she turned to look so quickly and without thinking, that one of her feet slipped.

Madge Undersee knew she was going to fall.

* * *

**AN: Sorry about the terrain description, if there's any errors you can tell me. Hope you like it! And if you have time, Review? **


	3. Chapter 3

I just realized I yet to put a disclaimer. So...

**Disclaimer: I do not own THG.**

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

"Oh, Shit!"

He tried grabbing her… arms…her shoulders…her… just her, really, any part would do. He managed to get hold of an arm just in time. And then, they both fell off.

"Shit!"

Gale pulled her to him and twisted his body so he took the brunt of the impact. He was cradling her head with one hand while he tried grabbing at the plants (uprooting most of them) to stop their rolling down the slope with the other but it only made them bounced and then hit the ground rolling again. So he scratched that plan, wrapped his arms tightly around her and prayed for something to stop them.

The tree obliged.

"Ow! Shit!" his back hit the tree and bounced back to the ground.

Squashing the Mayor's daughter.

"Shit!"

Great! His vocabulary had been reduced to a crappy one word curse.

Wondering why the hell he kept running into trouble, he pushed his weight off her. Granted, he probably shouldn't have sneak up on her or even approach her but he heard her say, "It's going to be worth it," and he thought she's going to jump off or something.

He looked at the girl beneath him. Her eyes squeezed shut, her long blond hair strewn on the ground, her face red and her hands clutching the front if his shirt. She looked so vulnerable that he reached and was pushing some hair away from her face when she suddenly opened her eyes. Gray met blue and in his haste to move his hand away, his other arm gave in. He heard her gasp as he collapsed on top of her.

"I can't breathe," she said. Gale stopped himself just in time before he uttered that one word again, he pushed himself up again, his hands on either side of her head, and was about to get off her when her hand reached for his neck.

He swallowed another one word expletive and this time it didn't start with an 'S'.

"You're bleeding," she told him, "You must've hit something sharp."

"Or just about everything," he said, wincing, "How about you? Anything hurt?"

"Mister Hawthorne!" called the familiar and irritating voice, "Yoohoo! Who do you have there?"

"You have got to be kidding me!" the girl under him groaned.

"It's not like you're the one they're bugging," he scoffed, getting off her, finally.

"No, but their presence is still disconcerting! They might have been following you around for three days but they were staying at our house! It's difficult to avoid them they're all over the place!"

"Yeah, I know, I thought I finally lost them," he said looking at her blood soaked, "Makes me think if they smelled the blood and found us."

They both looked up and saw the three reporters, standing at the edge of the cliff.

"They look so weird even from down here," she said, sitting up.

"Oh, is that… I can't believe my eyes, is that Miss Undersee?!" the woman with those stones in her face yelled, incredulous. Gale heard 'Miss Undersee' muttered, "Oh golly!" that he had to smile a little. Only a little.

"What are you two doing down there?" asked the one in a yellow coat.

"It's obvious what they're doing down there!" said the one with the hat, he's not sure of its gender. The voice coming out from that person was too feminine to be male, yet too masculine to be female. But as for his appearance, all he could see was blue. "I heard this particular place is pretty popular with the younger ones, so it's quite clear what they have been doing!"

Now it's his turn to mutter, "Oh, shit!" Dang that word again.

"I just didn't think that he's running to their romantic tryst, I thought it was from us!" stoned-face said, "There's so much romance in District 12! From their star-crossed lovers, to the handsome cousin and the Mayor's daughter! Love is in the air!"

"Or it was coal, my coat's covered with that stuff!"

"Maybe coal's an aphrodisiac," hat person said, "We should look on that! Clearly the cousin's is a cousin."

"Yes, I see that. She might be boring but… anyway, let's start a new research, "The Coal: Ore of Love!" It's going to be a hit!" she said as she brandishes her hands dramatically.

"Especially if one of them…" the hat person shut the lady with the coat with one hand.

" Hush, now," stoned faced reminded coat lady, "We should be going, there's no story here!"

"Could you…," the Mayor's daughter started but stoned face shushed her as well.

"Yes, we're going Miss Undersee," she said, graciously and ushered her colleagues away from the slope, "Enjoy you little rendezvous!" adding a wink before they were completely out of sight.

"I was going to ask for help," she told him, "But them leaving works for me too."

"What do you expect? They're from the Capitol! The word 'help' wasn't in their dictionary," he said standing up and then offering his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her up.

"Right, but did you hear them talk about tryst and love and coal?" she said, shaking her head, "I mean we fell from a cliff, not in love!"

He started to walk back up the slope, Undersee behind him, "Well, the place has a reputation."

"What does that mean?"

"It means..," he stopped and looked at her, "Have you ever been to the slag heap?"

"No, of course not," she said, blushing slightly.

"Figures," muttered Gale, "You have now," he added simply.

"What? This is not the Slag Heap!"

"But you've never been to the slag heap! How do you know this is not it?"

"Because…because this…" she looked around and weakly continued, "…doesn't look like a heap of something."

Gale chuckled and then explained, "The actual slag heap is the hill not far from here. But the area is generally called the slag heap. You've seen the hill right?" she nodded, and then he said, "No one in their right mind would make out in that very place, you'll be covered in even more coal and people would know exactly what you've been doing."

"I guess you should know," she said quietly. He let out another chuckle as they reached the top.

"But falling into a cliff was not romantic," she continued, "That wasn't romance!"

"Not romance? Let's see, we're both disheveled, you have wounds, I have wounds, you're bleeding, I'm bleeding," Gale said, starting to climb up and then he winced, "You must have bruises because I definitely have them. And there's a chance we both broken some bones. Are you kidding me? It's definitely not romance," he was now standing on the edge and as he pulled her up to safety, he added, "It's fucking true love!"

* * *

**AN: Okay, so even after research I still don't what exactly is the geological formation they fall into. So Madge thinks it's a cliff. And Gale, a ravine. It's difficult because in my language, we only have one word for both. (Also, the gully, glen, etc). So if anyone knows what it's really called, tell me! Also, Review?**

**Hope you enjoyed this chap!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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"Your hair and your…dress… you looked like…" he was wincing, she thought it might not be good.

"Crap?" she supplied, grimacing at the thought of what she must've looked like. At the same time, she was grumbling how unfair it was for a girl to look gross after a tumble down a slope while the boy came out looking okay, attractive even.

"Yeah, but more like 'you're obviously been to the slag heap'. Plus the scratches," he looked at her legs pointedly (it was the only part of her that wasn't covered by his during the fall), muttered a curse and rubbed his face with his hands.

'Obviously been to the slag heap' translation: Obviously doing naughty things.

She hoped that the burning feeling on her cheeks wasn't a blush because she was forbidding it to come out.

"I think I should clean up before going home," she suggested, trying to sound normal.

"You can clean up in our place," he offered, rubbing his neck. They started walking again, side by side, when he added, "It's not far from here."

"Of course, how convenient," was out of her mouth before she could filter her thoughts. She must've left her self-control down that cliff.

He wasn't offended, though, because he laughed.

But just like earlier, he seemed to ignore her insinuations. Instead, after he composed himself, he cleared his throat and said, "I should probably apologize."

"Don't, you couldn't possibly have known that you'll startle me and make me slip,"

"No, not about that," he said, "Although, I thought you were going to jump! What are you doing there in the first place?"

"I wasn't going to jump," she insisted, "I wanted to get away from all the boisterous company and I ended up there! What makes you think I was going to jump anyway?"

"I heard you say that it's going to be worth it and that's the first thought that crossed my mind," he explained, "And you looked like you were going to jump."

"Wait," she grabbed his arm, stopping him, "You thought I'm going to end my life?"

"No," he said, trying to catch her eyes, which was firmly fixed on his left ear, "I thought you're going to jump over, there's a difference." He shrugged her hands and started walking again.

She caught up and quietly said, "I really wasn't going to, there's a flower I wanted to pick. It's growing on the side of the cliff…" She trailed off as she realized that she had forgotten about it. She really thought her mother would have loved it, "… doesn't matter anymore."

"I was actually trying to apologize for what happened on Reaping day," he told her, "It was uncalled for."

"It's okay, already forgiven and forgotten," she said, glancing at him (he was looking straight ahead) and thinking, _"So this is Katniss' best friend."_

Her friendship with Katniss was based on their mutual aversion in socialising with their classmates, theirs must've been based on a stronger bond than that. Who was she kidding? Of course theirs was based on something stronger than quietly sitting in the same table.

Both of them were forced to grow up quickly. They had to support their family, and they were just kids. And with Katniss in the games, he was feeding two families. She often checked on Prim and the younger girl always assures her that they were eating. That Gale checked on them everyday, asking if they need anything. He's really a good friend.

She remembered when they said goodbye to Katniss. She stayed behind after giving her aunt's pin to her only friend, wanting to catch last glimpse of her. She saw Gale being dragged by peacekeepeers, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

Madge just realised it wasn't just tears for a friend, who might be gone for good. Katniss was her friend too but she already partially let her go. Don't get her wrong, she was rooting for her friend but at the same time she had to prepare for the worst. She knew what grief could do to a person, that's why her closest friend was a girl she never opened up with.

She could give up but not him. Never him. Because the person behind the name she often heard from the mouths of forever giggling girls at school, was in love with his best friend.

* * *

"Okay, stop that!"

"What?"

"You've been doing these crazy sounds! It's like a cat trying to quietly meow or something!"

They were walking back to the Seam through the woods with him leading the way. The two of them walked in silence but as they walk from the slag heap her shock began wearing off and the ramification of what happened started sinking in. He had brushed off the encounter with Gem and company with that 'freaking true love' bit but from what she observed from the past three days with those capitol reporters, they tend to over exaggerate everything!

"I've been to the slag heap!"

"Yeah, we already established that but…"

"And those three saw me…"

"Most unfortunate but what's that had to…"

"…with you!" she cried, covering her face with her hands, trying hard not to scream and then Gale Hawthorne, suddenly pull her into a stop to face him.

"What's wrong with being seen with me?" he said but then as if realising what she just did, added, "Oh, Sh–Crap!" She pulled her hands away from her face and saw him looking at her.

"They're going to tell your father," he said, seriously.

"Yes, I think so," she's almost in panic, her father wasn't an easy person when it comes to things like her dating. And she wasn't even really dating!

"No, they're going to tell the mayor, it wasn't a question."

She finally met his eyes and asked, "How are you so sure?"

He looked beyond her shoulder. She quickly turned to see what he's looking at and saw Mrs. Hawthorne marching over them.

"Because they sure told my mother."

* * *

**AN: I had to cut it here ^ . Because I think it'll be more interesting to read Hazelle's interrogation in Gale's point of view. Thanks for the reviews! :)**

**Thoughts? Please review.**

**Thank you for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

His mother stopped in front of them. Took one good look at the Mayor's daughter, her eyes sweeping from head to toe, and glared at him. Yes, the freaks had told her alright.

"What. Were. You. Thinking!?" she said, pinching his side really hard.

"Ouch, Ma!" he cried, trying to get away from her, "I'm bruised already as it is!" he rubbed the spot his mother had pinched, "And it's not what you think!"

"It's not?" Hazelle Hawthorne challenged her much taller son, "Then you aren't just coming from the slag heap?"

Tricky question. How to answer 'yes' without actually saying 'yes' that could put them in even more trouble?

Unfortunately, he didn't answer in time and with most adults, 'silence' means 'yes'.

"I've been at your age once, too, Gale," she started.

He groaned.

He heard that line too many times now. He knew what was coming. And it's not good. Not one bit.

"I know you are in an age where you have this urges,"

Oh, god! Urges! What the hell? Gale wanted to melt into a puddle of whatever just so he can escape this kind of torture.

"Don't dare deny it, I've heard enough stories about you with different girls to think otherwise!"

He turned to look at Undersee, and saw her face, red, one hand covering her mouth. _'Mom wasn't the only one,'_ he thought.

His mom continued the humiliation, "When you go there to have quality time with a girl, there's a long standing rule that you're not to be seen! But I assume you have enough sense to not get caught!"

"No one was caught!" he managed to protest. When his mom get into her lecture, it's hard to get a word in edgewise.

"Except you!"

He walked right into it, didn't he?

His mother was good.

"And of all people, those capitol reporters saw you," her hands was gesturing towards the Seam.

Were those freaks still there? He hoped not.

"With not just any girl but with the Mayor's daughter!" she looked at the said daughter and sighed, "You're friends with Katniss, too?"

"I'd like to think so," the younger woman replied, coughing a bit. Katniss was her friend, too. He see them seating at lunch almost everyday, he didn't think they were the chatty kind of seatmates. They seemed to enjoy the silence, from his observation. For Katniss, that constitute as friendship.

A chuckle was about to come out of him at the thought of their odd friendship, when he realised he hadn't thought of Katniss since he saw Madge Undersee in that cliff. Before he could decide if that's a good thing or not, his mother was on the roll again.

"Of course you are, and I know that must have driven the two of you together," she said, kindly, "And it's nice that you're comforting each other but not this way, okay?"

"Mom, we're not comforting each other!" he insisted, "She fell and I was about to grabbed her and fell over too. That's what the capitol fre- people saw, not a make out session!"

"I've heard that excuse, in different versions, before Gale Hawthorne. She fell and you just happen fell on top of her?" she looked at them skeptically, "Sure, it was an accident!"

"It was!" he tried explaining again but then decided to change course, "You're just pissed because she's the Mayor's daughter, aren't you?"

"Just a part of it."

Yeah right, a huge part of it, most likely, Gale thought.

"Let's go home, so Miss Undersee could clean up," his mom said, curtly and turned to walk towards the Seam.

"Wait, that's it?" Wow did he just ask why they're stopping the interrogation? Hazelle glanced back, and said, "No, we'll talk later, but it's getting dark and I don't want peacekeepers showing up at the door asking for Miss Undersee."

He stood there for a few seconds, staring at her retreating form. She only came here to vent. He knew his mother, she didn't want the little ones to hear her doing that.

A choking sound, got him out his musing and saw Madge Undersee bent over, shaking.

Was she going to cry? To puke?

He didn't know his mother was that scary.

What's wrong with her?

"Hey, are you…" he said, his concern turned into incredulity when she straightened, "…laughing?"

"I…like…your…mother!" she said in between laughs.

"You should, by the way things going, she might end up as your in law," his attempt to sober her up with a really bad joke failed. She just laughed even harder.

He rolled his eyes.

This girl got good taste in people, but a really weird sense of humor.

* * *

Madge Undersee wasn't laughing anymore.

It's the damnest thing. His siblings rendered the formerly dying of laughter girl into a mute in a matter of seconds.

Served her right.

His brothers and sister knew how to ogle. And ogle was what they did to her. He could feel her discomfort as three pairs of eyes quietly bore into her.

They stayed in the kitchen as she clean herself up. The three younger kids were seated in the table. Gale was leaning against the kitchen wall near the door.

She just finished combing her hair when Posy and his brothers started their own interrogation.

"Gale caught you?" Posy asked.

"Huh?"

"With snares, he's good at catching stuff," his little sister explained.

"Er, you could say that," she said, carefully, looking at him. Or was it the wall she's looking at?He was about to check what was wrong with the wall when he heard, "Did you make out?"

"Rory!" he and their mother said at the same time. She was collecting the comb and towel she lent to Undersee.

"But they've been to the slag heap," Rory retorted, "And that's the only stuff older kids do in there!"

"We didn't do anything," he told his brother.

"I don't believe you," said Rory, a pretty popular line of thinking today.

"You're not the only one," Gale muttered, sighing. He their mother scoffed before she left the room.

"What's your name?" Posy inquired again.

"Madge."

"Your daddy's the Mayor?"

"Er, yes."

"I don't have a daddy."

"Oh, sorry that's –," but Posy was on a roll.

"My name is Posy, I'm four," she raised her hand and put four fingers up, "No daddy, just mommy and Vick and Rory and of course Gale," she point a finger for each name, except for daddy because as she said 'No daddy.'

"You're good at counting," Undersee commented.

"Thank you, Miss Madge," the little girl said, brightly. Then Vick whispered something to their sister. Posy was nodding vigorously and smiled at Madge.

"Can you be my five when I turn five?"

"Huh?"

Oh, boy. Rory started chuckling and he watched as his youngest siblings looked hopefully at the Mayor's daughter.

"One finger for each person," said Vick shyly, holding his hand up "I added Mrs. Everdeen because Gale and Rory already added Katniss and Prim to their five and I don't want her to be sad."

That shut Rory up. He was now wearing a bright crimson blush.

"Why can't they add people to their other hand?" Undersee asked, amused.

"Because that's for pointing," Posy explained, patiently, and demonstrated it for their guest, "See, if I put many people I can't point."

Undersee nodded and cocked an eyebrow at him.

What the hell does that mean? This girl had been confusing him since the cliff. She was so worried at the thought of the reporters seeing them together and when the problem confronted them head on, she laughed. She laughed during his mother's humiliating lecture and was quiet in front of basically baby interrogators. Now this?

He tried cocking an eyebrow back but he realised he can't, so he just shrugged.

She shook her head, sighing, and turned to Posy, kneeling in front of her, "Are you sure? You might want to save it until you meet someone you really like."

"I like your hair and your eyes, it's blue like Prim and Mrs. Everdeen," Posy said. Four year old logic.

"Okay, if you're really sure, then I would love to be your five," Undersee smiled at Posy and his sister jumped from her seat and hugged her.

So did Vick. And by the look in Rory's face he wanted to join in but maybe thought he was too old for that now.

"Well you look at that," his mother suddenly appeared beside him, she wasn't looking at him.

Was she still mad?

He was answered when she said, "Hawthorne kids really like blondes."

Oh yeah, positively fuming!

* * *

So, this is Chapter 5. Madge's presence is almost nonexistent in this chapter. Especially during Hazelle's lecture. It's intentional. That's all I can say. :)

Review please. Thanks.

** Next Chapter : Madge's house, Gale's last meal? The Mayor gives sweets. Watching the Hunger Games with people that truly find it entertaining. **


	6. Chapter 6

This took longer to write. I had too many distractions. Anyway, hope you enjoy this.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

She felt eyes boring into her.

And unlike earlier with the Hawthorne kids, these eyes were judging her. She should be use to it, she had been subjected to this kind of stare before.

Only in this instance, she knew she'd been gathering stares not because she's the Mayor's daughter but because she was walking with someone from the Seam. Also, most likely they've heard the rumor about the two of them.

It was one embarrassing moment that breeds like rabbits.

"You're at it again," he said, quietly.

"They were openly staring at us, it's rude."

"They were just watching me walk to my execution," he said, a bit louder this time. She quickly looked around, hoping they didn't hear him. People in town were liable to believe him.

She tugged the sleeve of his shirt, "Don't joke about that!" she hissed, "Don't fuel the fire!"

"The amount of coal dust in this district would do much better in fuelling fires than my supposed joke, Miss Undersee," he shrugged and added, "Still, I feel like you're leading me to something that would involve running for my life."

"I didn't ask you to walk me home."

"No, but my mom insisted," he said, and then snorted, "I mean, you were there, you heard her."

She did.

Hazelle Hawthorne was a force to be reckoned with.

She had laughed but it wasn't because of her. Her son was doing facial expressions she didn't thought he had.

But his mother, she did like her. She let her son make his own mistakes. And she had watched the older woman let him know how disappointed she was, too, when she thought he was cavorting with the Mayor's daughter. But watching her berate her son, somehow, endeared her to Madge.

It was what she imagined mothers were.

Her own wasn't like that. Her mother was delicate and since a little child she learned not to give her more headaches. It was her and her father's secret little mission.

Her father, she had seen him angry at someone. It was not pretty.

"These cat like noises are grating in my nerves," he said, "Could we just walk, in silence?"

Funny he should say that, "I felt like we've been walking for a long time. It's an afternoon full of walking."

"Like a death march or something," he muttered.

"You're right," she sighed, "This does feel like I'm leading you to your doom."

She was just being melodramatic of course. But the look on Gale Hawthorne's face was priceless.

* * *

It was suspiciously friendly, the way her father had greeted them. He even acknowledged Gale. And invited him for dinner. The kind of invitation one was not allowed to decline.

While the table was being set, her father led them to his office. Her heart racing with each step closer to the torture chamber. Gale, however, was calm. Or had a great way of hiding his fear. Where was the guy who was worried about his 'execution'?

Her father went straight to the refreshment table. It was put there when the reporters arrived. It was well stocked too. He busied himself in picking from the available snacks and drinks, his back on them.

She stood in the middle of the room while Gale closed the door behind him.

"What now?" she heard Gale whispered. She shrugged, even she doesn't know what her father's thinking at that moment. He's acting different from what she had expected.

"You wouldn't believe the array of sweets our guests brought with them," her father said, still not looking at them, "Even Madge hasn't tasted them before, here have some." He raised a hand, motioning them to move closer. She got there before Gale did, for safety purposes, and act as a shield between the two.

"Here," the Mayor said, finally facing the two teenagers, a candy bar in each hand.

Madge immediately snatched the candy offered to Gale, her father gave her a look of surprise. She looked up at the boy beside her and saw that he was smirking.

"Are we allowed to eat some of these?" asked Gale, his voice neutral.

"Sure, it wasn't forbidden," said the Mayor, nonchalant, "Wild strawberries, however, can be considered illegal."

She felt Gale tensed.

"But you like it," Gale said, casually.

"I do, I love it," he turned back to the table, "But I would advise for you to stick to one of these fancy available candies."

"You don't have to worry, sir. I don't even like strawberries."

"You don't?" she suddenly said, Gale gave her a look, "Right, of course you don't."

"But I trust you in looking out for those strawberries," continued her father, as if she hadn't spoken, "Especially with our guests here."

Gale looked confused for a second, then nodded cautiously, "I will."

She shook her head and muttered, "Men."

"What is it, dear?" her father asked. She looked up, took a deep breath, and said, "It wasn't a… what did they call it? A romantic tryst or rendezvous!"

"What would you call it?" his arms folded across his chest

She glanced at Gale, who just shrugged, and face her father again, "Father, I fell on a cliff, he tried to help, we both have scratches and bruises and before I got hold of a comb, I looked like a hell raiser. So I would call it an accident."

"Then what are you doing in that place?"

"Taking a walk with no particular direction," she said, "I didn't even know that it was the infamous slag heap until this guy told me," she gestured at Gale, "And we were, unfortunately, seen by some of our guests."

He looked at Gale thoughtfully, then nodded, "Okay, you can go and check if the food is ready. I just need to finish some correspondents."

Without another word, she grabbed Gale's arm and began pulling him out of the room.

They were in the kitchen when she let him go and he finally said, "That was surprisingly easy. He even believed in you. Curious on why didn't… um, my mother believe me?"

"Well, I do not have your kind of reputation," she said, "My father hasn't heard a thing about me going off to make out with different boys. Or girls."

"Yeah, no wonder you're friends with Katniss," he muttered, rolling his eyes, "One's lethal, the other's weird but both naïve."

She threw the candy bar she's still holding and hit him on the side of his big head.

"What the hell, Undersee?!"

There was no reply, she was staring, glaring, and scowling at him, all at the same time.

He stared back. But, unlike her, there wasn't annoyance behind it. It was like he's deciding something about her. And when that decision appeared to have been made, he said, "For someone, who seemed to be observant, you have completely missed something," he then leaned closer and in hush whisper, he began to say, "Your father believed you, but he doesn't want us to clear things up."

"Why?"

"I think it's about the guests staying in your house," he said and before he could continue they heard said guests chatting loudly just outside the kitchen. What made them paused, however, and looked at the direction of the door weren't the noise but the words 'Feast' and 'Katniss'.

He stilled and looked at her, alarmed.

The Feast in the Hunger Games was always a double edge sword. Food always lures tributes. Tributes in one place were always meant to be a bloodshed event. Katniss didn't need any food but they've heard another word that could possibly appeal to her.

'Medicine'

She didn't need one.

But Peeta does.

She gulped, "She's going, isn't she?"

His face was serious as he replied, "You can count on it."

* * *

** "I felt like we've been walking for a long time. It's an afternoon full of walking." **- haha, I'm qouting myself but this is what I've been feeling this week. Just change afternoon to week and walking to waiting or writing. :)

Thoughts? Questions? Review?


	7. Chapter 7

**Updated!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Running was a great idea.

So, why didn't he?

There's something annoying in how quickly he agreed on staying. Sure, the Mayor requested he stay. But after hearing about the Games, he was so angry and he was ready to bolt out the door, not caring if the Mayor's displeased or those freaky things become suspicious again.

He was about to, but she didn't let him.

She grabbed his arm when she sensed what he's planning to do. He looked at her, her eyes looking directly at his, pleading for him to stay. And there was fear in them.

From what? He didn't know. But he stayed.

Her father was merciful enough to let them dine in the kitchen when he saw her daughter's distress. They ate in silence. And when he thought things couldn't get worse.

It did. The freaks made the two of them watched the Hunger Games.

He just came full circle. He was running from the unwanted people's attention and now here he was sitting among them, in the Mayor's grand living room.

Maybe that was the problem in the first place, running, and now he still wanted to run. Whoever said to not run from problems first deserved an award or something because it was a good advice. It's just that, not many people will take it. Running was a simpler and easier choice. Good for one's health, too.

It took much of his self control to not react in every foul, offensive, and insulting comment they utter. He had to keep reminding himself that he could get in trouble and without him two families will go hungry.

"That's so sweet!" a capitol person exclaimed.

"Arguing like an old couple! I love it!" said another one.

The Feast was announced and Katniss and Mellark were fighting about whether she should go or not. Because Katniss was still (at least up to now, she still was) the Katniss he knew, she's stubbornly arguing for going. And Mellark was equally stubbornly arguing for her to not go.

Gale's vote was on Mellark. He was hoping she would listen but he knew she won't.

When another parachute came, it's all over. She received a bottle of sleep syrup and they watched as she mixed it with crushed berries and served to a very clueless Mellark. And the fool didn't realise it until the very last scoop! Granted he was really ill but, what an idiot!

The freaks were screaming in excitement.

Gale was clenching his fist so hard, he started to feel pain. But he kept on clenching, his teeth grinding, he had to control his anger. His eyes never leaving the television screen.

Then he felt smooth hands gently uncurling his fingers and enveloping (almost) his hand with soothing warmth.

"You need to relax," she whispered, "you're so rigid and obvious."

He looked at her, she was still watching the television. The fear he saw earlier was still there. Then he looked back at their hands, maybe she wasn't just calming him down, she must've seeking some sort of comfort , too.

He squeezed her hand softly and she squeezed it back.

'It was nice to be comforted this way,' he thought, 'Can almost make me forget that we are surrounded with freaks.'

"Oh my gosh! I cannot wait for tomorrow!" a freak screamed and they burst into enthusiastic conversations with one another.

He felt her stiffen as the stone faced lady approached them.

"Faint," he told her, quietly.

"What?" she asked, confused. But the irritating lady was getting close, so he didn't bother repeating it.

He just scooped her up and loudly said, "She's not feeling well." And without another word, carry her out of the room and to the stairs before anyone could stop him.

"You can put me down now," she said.

"No," he whispered, "They're still watching us and don't dare peek!" He saw them in his peripheral view, following them.

"I wasn't going to," she said, defensive, "And are you sure you can carry me all the way up?"

"I could," he said, "You're surprisingly much lighter than most girls."

"If I was really your girlfriend, Hawthorne," she said, quietly, "I would wonder how did you know how heavy those 'most girls' are."

"Considering your perception of me, I would think you wouldn't want me taking you anywhere private," he chuckled, "It's almost flattering."

"You reputation precedes you," she said, "And it's not all flattering."

He laughed. But they both knew, she'll be willing to risk her own lily white reputation just to get away from the people downstairs.

As soon as they were out of sight, he put her down.

"Thanks," they both said at the same time. But both really not wanting the other to know why, so they just bade their 'good nights' and he left.

As he was walking towards the Seam, he recalled what just happened. Gale wasn't thrilled when he concluded that there's a good chance he and the Mayor's daughter were already friends.

However, he might not be thrilled with that but he didn't mind it either.

Nope, he didn't mind at all.

* * *

He knew that his mother was waiting to pounce. He just didn't think she'll wait until they were about to leave for school to resume their 'talk'.

She didn't say anything when he came home last night. No one said anything, actually. Not about the Mayor's daughter. Not about the damn Hunger Games. His family was mum and treating him as if he's about to explode or something. He must've been in a really foul mood last night.

The walk home, he realised, brewed the anger his been holding back at the Mayor's house. He knew those Capitol people were horrible, he just didn't know the extent of their horribleness. They really, truly enjoy the horrid game. If not for Madge Undersee, he might've given one of them another accessory on the face, only that one would hurt.

His mother must've wanted him to cool down. He hoped she would've forgotten about yesterday but she didn't.

"Did you managed to explain to the Mayor about what happened with his daughter?" she asked, casually, leaning on the frame of their front door.

"No," he said, adjusting his bag on his shoulder, "I didn't have to, he gave me the impression that he wanted to fuel the gossip."

"I see," she said, worry filled her eyes, "Whatever he was planning, just make sure you take care of yourself first."

"I will, don't worry," Gale said, his mother smiled weakly and replied, "I'm a mom, that's what I do."

He just nodded, and turned to leave. 'It wasn't that bad,' he thought.

"Oh and Gale?" she said, he looked back and said, "Yes?"

"I'm serious about what I said yesterday," his mother said.

"Which part?" he had to ask, even though he knew he probably won't like her answer.

"About the comforting part," she said and he groaned but his mother continued, "Now that there's a good chance you'll be spending time with Miss Undersee…"

"Oh, geesh, mom! Stop! Don't finish that!"

"…you have to control those urges I'm talking about!"

He groaned and thought, 'I'm going to have nightmares about this!"

* * *

Of course, the whole school heard the gossip. When the students weren't talking about Katniss and Peeta, they were talking about him and Madge Undersee.

It was ridiculous how the gossip evolved. Some were talking about him cheating on Katniss as if they were dating. Some were talking about how the Mayor caught him in bed with his daughter. Some were really adamant that they knew, just knew, that the Mayor's daughter and Gale Hawthorne were secretly dating. Even his damn friends were patting his back, believing he really were having secret make out sessions with the Mayor's daughter.

He really had an unflattering reputation. Not undeserved. He didn't really care, was kinda proud about it but… something made him care.

Shit! Was he maturing? He wasn't ready!

"ATTENTION STUDENTS! THERE WILL BE A LIVE VIEWING OF THE HUNGER GAMES AT LUNCH PERIOD. THANK YOU."

The announcement snapped him out of his thought.

A typical Capitol announcement, they gave you a command disguised as an invitation. If they think that would make an illusion of a non oppressing government to the citizens, well, they should sack whoever came up with the stupid idea.

Peacekeepers were ushering students out of the classrooms. See, no one would feel oppressed with these thugs.

His class was the last to arrive at the cafeteria. The town kids immediately went over to the other town kids. Usually he would go and sit with his friends but she caught his attention. Madge Undersee was sitting in her usual lunch table at the back, the one she shared with Katniss. And she looked like she was afraid someone would actually approach her.

Then he saw that she was looking at the front of the cafeteria, he follow her gaze and muttered, "Of course."

"Hey Gale are you coming?" Thom said.

"You go ahead," he said, his eyes still with Madge Undersee. He heard them chuckled, but he ignored them and made his way to her. As he did, he started hearing whispering and giggling and he saw someone pointing. Rude kids.

Fuck! He was maturing!

When he reached her, she was looking at him questioningly. He just shrugged, sat on the bench beside her, with his legs on both side, facing her.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

He ignored her and pulled her to him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, again, with a nudge of the elbow on his stomach. Again he ignored it, kissed the side of her head and said, "Smile."

"What?"

"Do you have to question everything?" he said, exasperated, "We were pretending to be a couple. Your father even approved."

She looked at him with narrow eyes, nodded, then said, "Okay, but do you have to be this close?"

"I thought you know my reputation?" he challenged and with a bit of hesitation, she relaxed into his arms.

"I know what you're really doing, Gale," she said, softly.

He didn't get to reply because they started screening the Games. And also, he didn't want to reply. What can he actually reply to that? He was glad she did because he didn't have the faintest idea? Which was true, but then he realised just how true it was.

What was he doing?!

He shook his head to banish that doubt and said, "I guess I should start calling Madge now."

"You're changing the subject!"

"I'm not, it was never a subject, now please be quiet!"

"Fine!"

"Good girl!"

"Woof!"

He laughed but stopped when he saw his best friend on the screen. He glanced down at Madge then back to the screen again. It's almost scary how this happened more than once.

"She will be okay," he heard Madge muttered repeatedly. Katniss was concealed behind trees and bushes, waiting for the right opportunity to grab the precious bag.

Suddenly, someone emerged from the cornucopia, rushed to the table and run to the forest before anyone could react. It was the District Five girl. He knew that one was smart.

The camera was then focused on Katniss and he can read her face. She wasn't going to wait any longer. She was going for it. And she did. She reached the table and was about to grab the District Twelve bag when she was knocked by the girl from Two. She was bleeding. Then she was on the ground, the girl from Two taunting her, and Katniss was calling for Peeta, of all people!

He knew she was distracting her enemy but it didn't feel right.

Then the big guy from Eleven appeared, pulled the girl from Two from Katniss. Now it's the girl's turn to call for her partner's help and then the big guy smashed her head with a rock.

Gale cringed and he felt Madge stilled.

The big guy rounded on Katniss, but he let her go. Because of the little girl Katniss befriended. The boy rushed back to the field and Katniss took the medicine for Peeta and set off to their cave.

But what amazed Gale even more was the way the vicious boy from two held her partner's dying hand and asking her to stay with him. A trace of humanity from a Career. That's new.

Then the cannon fired. Two didn't cry but he was murderous and set off to where Eleven disappeared.

"They might have been friends," Madge said, and he agreed but he was too busy still worrying about Katniss, who was making her way to Peeta Mellark with a gash on her head, to comment on that.

They watched until Katniss made it to the cave and gave Mellark the much needed medicine. Katniss then passed out beside him. Then they cut into Flickerman and Templesmith to discuss what happened.

The whole cafeteria let out a sigh of relief. The town kids were cheering and so did some Seam kids.

Madge turned to him, she was smiling. And then put her arms around him, repeating the phrase 'She'll be okay!' over and over again. He didn't have the heart to pull away and they were pretending so it didn't look odd when he put his arms around her too.

It was nice.

* * *

AN: Done! Yes! I met my deadline! lol.

Thoughts? Questions? REVIEW!?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

Gale Hawthorne showed up just before the start of the program.

He sat beside her, it's the first time she saw him after they were told that they were dating. And he pulled her into almost sitting on his lap. Didn't her very angry father catch him last night in her bedroom? Not to forget their secret tryst in the Slag Heap! Words had already done wonders with her reputation, she didn't need for their classmates to see and confirmed those words.

He was stubborn about staying throughout the telecast. And he did. Really deep down, she was kind of glad he did. It was nerve racking watching but Katniss survived the Feast, thanks to that boy from Eleven. And with a gash on her forehead, she ran, medicine in hand and was back in the cave with Peeta, safe for now.

She didn't realise, however, until they pulled away from their embrace that almost everyone was looking at them. Grinning at him. Glaring at her.

It really amazed her how the same line of gossip put them in different light. Gale was this hero, scoring with the Mayor's daughter and getting away with it. And then there's Madge.

It's vicious and it was the girls who started it. It's no wonder she never got on with being chummy with girls. Katniss doesn't count, there's nothing about that girl that could induce a 'chummy' feeling. And they enjoyed their silent company too much to break the status quo.

She wanted, for once, to tell them off but her father wanted them to think she's with Gale. Why? She didn't fully know. Sure, he told her about not wanting to attract unwanted attentions from their guests and that in turn, she'd be able to help Gale on his little lie about being a cousin and while all that was probably true, her father's a politician, there's always a hidden agenda. What agenda? She had no idea.

Not to attract unwanted attention, her father said. He must be in some kind of weird medication because it's what she was attracting by going along with his plan, whatever that was.

Madge managed to tune out most of the gossipmongers, it's funny how quickly they forgot about how they all thought Katniss and Gale were together. People were so gullible sometimes. They'll believe just about everything. No wonder the Capitol lasted this long.

It was frustrating and all Gale did was looked at her, shrugged, and left with his friends. Nice guy.

"Oh my gosh, Madge!" yelled Delly Cartwright, and skipped towards her table at the cafeteria.

'Oh boy, here we go,' she thought, bracing herself.

"Gale Hawthorne's such a hottie! Did your father really catch him in your room?"

Delly's the friendliest girl but not the most tactful. And Madge had promised her father she'll pretend until the reporters left so she had to endure the friendly girl's chatter.

"No, he's never been into my room," Madge said, trying to giggle, "But he is a cutie bear huh?"

'Cutie bear? Ugh, Madge, really? Mentally throwing up!' she thought to herself. No one in their right mind would call Gale Hawthorne that. It said a lot for her state of mind.

"Yes, he is!" Delly said, dreamily, "You're so lucky! Don't mind the other girls, they're just jealous!"

Madge just smiled. She didn't know the right response to that, it's rare occurrence when someone was kind of comforting her.

"Well, at least there's something good and normal happening," the friendly girl continued, "The games are especially hard to watch because they were both in our class."

"Yeah," she said, praying the conversation to end. Madge was no Katniss, she couldn't just glare at people to make them leave. She wasn't allowed to be rude. She glanced at the front of the cafeteria and saw the reporters getting up from their seat, then looked at Delly. She was still there, smiling at her. Madge needed her to go, so she told her, "Your friends might be looking for you."

There. Subtle and not rude.

"You're right," Delly said, "I better go, bye." And she skipped her way back to her friends.

She's alone again, just how she liked it. She collected her bag and got up. It's a good thing tomorrow's Saturday and no classes. She won't be the target of annoying people. She was walking to her next class when she remembered her crowded house.

Madge was already planning her escape route.

* * *

It's as if they knew she wanted to avoid them.

They were harassing her since breakfast, asking about Katniss, Peeta, and The Cousin. Cornered in every exit and dragged away to chit chat or eat or to convince her of a makeover.

Her mother was still unwell and the advice to stay away for a mean time still stands. Madge missed her, usually when school's out she'll spend the day with her, reading, gossiping, and playing the piano. But during these weeks, starting from Reaping Day until a new Victor was crowned, she was abed suffering from those headaches.

During these weeks, too, were when Madge was the angriest at the Capitol. It was also the time when she had to be most careful on her words and actions. Her father made sure she knew that. Another thought crossed her mind, 'Why would father want me to be close with someone who is angry all the time?'

A knock on her bedroom door snapped her out of her musings. She was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had retreated at her room after lunch, when she decided any attempt to escape was futile.

"Come in," she said, getting up but the door did not open.

"The Game's on, Miss Madge," The cook voice said through the door, "Your father asked you to join them in the living room."

Then she heard footsteps. Lei, their cook, already left.

It was a nightly thing since the arrival of these guests to watch at the grand living room. Usually they'll just gather up at the kitchen with their helpers, and eat while or after watching, it depends on what happened on screen. Sometimes, the scenes shown were so gross they didn't bother eating at all.

When she arrived at the living room, everybody was already seated. An empty seat at her usual place. Where she and Gale was seated last night.

Most in the room were eagerly anticipating this night's episode. She heard there's something happened that they were all excited about. She was so sure it involved Katniss and Peeta.

It did.

She just wasn't sure what to think about it. Or about the hysterical people in the room.

But another thing for sure though: She's going out of there.

* * *

Madge found herself walking down the Seam. She didn't plan on going there but her feet got a mind of its own and she figured why not visit the Everdeens. A very late visit and she was hoping they won't mind. She had nowhere to go. Their house was not live-able at the moment.

It was the hysterical crying/screaming. And she was almost sure their ovaries already burst. Even the men, their ovaries burst too. She didn't think they have balls, to be honest.

Her hand was automatically on her mouth and she was looking around as if her thoughts were said out loud. There's no one, the houses were empty. She must have been in a part of the Seam that didn't have residents yet.

She's been to the Seam before, mostly in the morning so she won't notice if houses don't have occupants. But at night, they were creepy. And dark. Only the moon served as lighting. She began to think it was a bad idea to go on.

Her heart started hammering in her chest.

'This wasn't good,' she thought.

She felt a hand grabbed her shoulder and she screamed but was cut off by another hand, this time on her mouth. She tried to get the hand off her mouth, she pinched it really hard. She heard a yelp and she was released. But before she could run away, the attacker got hold of her arm and pulled her, she wriggled her captured arm and landed a kick on whoever was grabbing her.

She heard a groan.

'Good,' she thought and she was about to run when he called her. She stopped.

"You'll be the death of me, Madge Undersee," she turned and saw Gale Hawthorne, bathed in moonlight. With bruises on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was taking a stroll," he said, wincing, his hands on his stomach.

"I didn't kick you there."

"You didn't, that landed on my leg," he said, wriggling his leg for effect "And didn't really hurt."

She didn't really care if her kick hurts and she was glad it didn't because she didn't think he could handle anymore beating.

"And I sure didn't do that," she said, gesturing at his face, it was moment before he could reply, "No, you didn't." And it made her think she somehow did.

"Normal guy stuff," Gale was still wincing. She walked towards him and it was worse, his lips were bleeding and the side of his eye was dark and puffy.

"Well, then I'm so glad I'm a girl," Madge said, reaching for her handkerchief in her pocket. It was a habit since childhood to always bring hankies everywhere. She was half afraid he'll mock her when he saw it. He didn't, he just stood there and gladly accepted a little help.

"Blowing off some steam," he said after she had wiped the blood off his lips.

She studied him for a second and suddenly, images of the earlier shown clip from the Hunger Games flooded her mind. She felt blood rushing to her face and looked away.

"It's nothing, Madge," he said, trying to convince her, even they both knew it wasn't nothing, "Come on, I'll walk you home."

She let him. They were walking towards Town again. But that clip was still on her mind.

They've seen the kisses before. She labelled them fake, there's something lacking about them. But tonight's kiss was different. It was a kiss between lovers. It was real. And it must've bothered him.

"Why didn't you tell Katniss you love her?" was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

Gale almost tripped over his own foot and looked at her, shocked, "What the hell, Undersee?"

"Did you?"

"Stop asking stupid questions."

"You didn't!" she exclaimed, "Did you want to?"

He took a deep breath, she was almost sure he was trying hard not to hit her.

"So, did you want to?" she repeated, to her surprise, Gale grinned. MIschieviously.

"To kiss you?" he said, "Do you even have to ask, princess?"

"I'm not kidding, Gale, be serious," she said, sternly even thought she knew her face was burning.

"I'm serious," he move closer, and grabbed her shoulders, "You do know you're pretty, right? And you had nice lips."

She bit her lower lips as he continued staring at them. Madge knew he was just distracting her from her inquiry.

"Well, do you?" she asked, still asking about his feelings for Katniss.

But he purposely misunderstood and answered, "Know you're pretty? Yes," and he cupped her face and started leaning in. She wasn't budging, thinking he wouldn't really kiss her but the proximity made her want to meet him half way. She has never kissed a boy and her mind was still flooded with Katniss and Peeta kissing. There's this sudden want. This…

Bingo!

"Gale?"

"Yeah?"

"I know we young people have this urges now and then," she said, trying her best to imitate his mother. Gale Hawthorne groaned, rested his forehead on her shoulder and muttered, "Fuck, urges! It's been giving me nightmares!" he pushed away and resumed walking.

Madge followed, laughing, trying to push down that tiny part of her that was surprisingly disappointed.

Because the last thing she needed right now was a little crush on her pretend boyfriend.

* * *

AN: This chapter lost a scene to my other fic so this is shorter than what I planned.

So, what did you think? Tell me. Please review. Thanks. :)


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hi! Thanks for reviewing last chapter. Here's the next installment. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer : The Hunger Games? Not mine.

* * *

Chapter 9

* * *

He could feel the swelling on his face.

But he deserved it. And every other ache his body was feeling. He started the day, one bad decision to another and it ended with him wincing in every step he took. It's bad enough that his family was treating him like some crazy person, now Madge Undersee was looking at him like he was one.

_'Did you want to?'_

What kind of question is that?

"So," she started, cautiously, "This 'guy stuff' you're talking about, did you get to, you know, hit back?"

He managed to not trip this time. But he's just as astounded as before.

"Why do you even want to know?" he asked, not quite sure if he wanted to laugh or be annoyed.

"Well, you don't look like you did," she shrugged, "And you don't want to talk about your love life, so…" she paused and then continued, "You really didn't tell Katniss?"

"You're good for keeping my ego in check, Undersee," he said with a dry laugh, "But not for my sanity."

"Thanks, I try," she said, deadpan, "But did you want to?"

There's that question again.

He stopped to face her, she was looking at him expectantly. With only the moonlight, she looked so serene, he wasn't lying earlier when he told her he knew she was pretty. Sure, there were prettier girls but he still thought she's attractive. He's a guy, ever since he hit puberty he's been noticing these things. With Katniss, he's a little slow, yeah okay…he was a lot slow. Again, he's a guy!

That morning, when he was at the hob, there's this girl from the Seam. She had dark hair, grey eyes, and she reminded him of Katniss a little bit, so he flirted. He figured since she's playing house with that baker, he could do without pining for her. The girl, he forgot her name, was pretty, didn't look like Katniss at all just her coloring but she's sweet and interested. He invited her to the..usual place and was about to go when a blue eyed blond appeared. With Lady.

_ "I heard you're dating Madge," Prim said, suspiciously. There were no other answer to that, so he nodded. And he felt like a slimy slug when she added, "I won't tell Madge, if you promise not to do it again." _

_"I promise," he managed to choke out, he can't believe he's having a conversation like this with Prim._

_"If you want to do that, you know, kiss," she whispered the last word like it was taboo or something, (Kids, he thought, shaking his head) "Madge has a lot of free time." Prim was giving him love advice. He would've laughed if not for the images his mind conjured up with the advice she just gave. _

It's funny how Prim reminded him not only of her sister but also of the Mayor's daughter. Needless to say, there's no 'quality time' happened with the pretty Seam girl, the youngest Everdeen and her goat saw to it. He spent the rest of the morning on an errand to trade her goat cheese. What's not funny though, was how frequent these bizarre conversations (read: people wanting to talk about his love life) were happening. First, his mom, then Prim and now, Madge Undersee, the one with a lot of free time.

And he was considering it. Prim's advice. Especially earlier when he suddenly talked about kissing, his curiosity almost got better of him if not for Madge's reminding him of his mother. Heh, that was a close one.

"Gale?" Madge's voice snapped him out of his musings, "Are you okay? Did they hit your head really hard?"

"My head's fine," he said, thinking this girl's opinion of him wasn't stellar, it was downright low, and he was sure it wasn't even because he's from the Seam, "What's with the question anyway? What's wanting have to do with whatever you think I didn't do?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him and said, "Everything, wanting to do something is different from needing to do it. Did you plan on telling her because it needed to be said or because you wanted her to know?"

He shrugged, "Same difference to me."

"No it's not!" she insisted, "You have personal control with want but not with need!"

"Whatever, Undersee," he said, shaking his head, "Let's just get you home so I could get to mine."

"It wasn't 'whatever'!," she said, catching up with him, trying to keep up with his pace, "It needed to be said!"

"No, you want it to be said," he said smirking, "But you have control over it so shut your yap up!"

"It's needed, Gale! Because you're off your rockers!"

He stopped abruptly and turned to her, incredulous, "I'm off my what-ers?"

"Rockers!" she gestured at his head.

"You think because I got into a fight that I'm crazy?"

"No, because I thought you're insanely jealous," she looked at him with concern that infuriates him even more.

"Jealous?" he laughed, "Don't go seeing things that wasn't there, Madge!"

"I just think you need to address that problem, we all saw the Games tonight," she said, "And I've seen you watch one of those, it's written all over your face."

"Just…just drop it, okay?" he said, running his hands through his hair.

Fine, he was jealous but he wasn't about to admit it to her. Especially when she thought it was the cause of the bruises and blackeye, it wasn't. He might not think that Katniss and baker boy's relationship was real but that kiss was. But it wasn't the realness and his jealousy over a kiss that got him into a fight. It happened before seeing that.

He was about to go and watch the wretched Games with Thom's family because he wanted to spare his own family. He thought, maybe, being around another family would control his rage.

_"Hey, Hawthorne!" a group of Seam boys he didn't care much about greeted him, sneers on their faces, definitely looking for trouble. He didn't need one but he can't help it._

_"Hey, assholes!" he greeted back, without looking at the bunch of retards._

If it weren't for that mandatory viewing, he didn't know where that fight would land him. Jail or cemetery. Six against one wasn't exactly a fair fight. He reached Thom's house just in time. Fortunately they didn't ask about his appearance and went on watching the Games. The program breezed through, the aches were able to numb him from what he's seeing. He was fairly calm when he's walking back home until Madge started hitting him. And started interrogating him.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he added, she was still silent. He felt relief when she started walking again without saying anything.

When they reached her house, she turned to him and said, "Sorry, for being nosy."

"You were that," he said with a weak smile, "It's fine."

"It's not really my business if you get into fight over jealousy."

"Okay, I didn't get into fight because of Katniss and Mellark, I didn't!"

She nodded then looked down and quietly asked, "Was it because of me?"

He didn't answered he just reached for the swelling on his face.

_"Feeling brave now that you're dating the District's princess?" the leader of the gang named Brick said, "Brave enough to try hooking up with another girl, what will the Mayor say?"_

_"Yeah, Nina said if weren't for that Everdeen kid, the Mayor would be on your ass right now!" said another retard and they laughed._

_He tried telling himself to let it go but self wasn't listening, not when the next retard told him, "So if Katniss comes back without that townie, you going to go back to her? If so, can I have the other rich girl? Mayor's daughter's pretty fine and she had a thing with Seam guys like us, wouldn't mind visiting the slag heap with her."_

_"Why go to the slag heap when you can do it in her room? Right, Hawthorne?" Brick sneered, "Was her daddy there giving you pointers on-" The asshole didn't get to finish, Gale's fist slammed into his face without a warning. _

His pent up rage was released with every punches and kicks. He couldn't help himself, he needed to do it.

"You're right, you know? Needs and wants, they're different," he smiled, "Goodnight, Madge."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts? Questions? Review?


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